St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-25
PIE, PICKLES AND SWEETS
What Our Dainty salesiadies Eat for
Lunch.
Menu Furnished by Large Dry
Goods Establishment.

New York Journal ti9
Twelve o'clock, noon, is an hour Of great
importance to tho thousands of saleswomen
and girls who have stood behind the coun-
tiers of the large dry goods houses for four
weary hours. 1t is their lunch time.
How many thousand luncheohs are con-
sumed daily in New York and Brooklyn by
saesladies there is no means OF computing,
but the amount of apples, oranges, BAN
anas. figs, lemons and even pickles they
consume is matter worthy OF considera-
ton. A peculiar system OF providing their
young lady employees with their midday re-
past is allowed, or rather cOuntenanced, by
many of the large dry goods houses.
Just before the noon hour yesterday a
speckled-f faced. white-eyed youth of IA
years Shambled into one OF the largest dry
goods houses in Brooklyn with long strip
of brown paper in one hand and a lead
pencil in the other. He shuffled over to a
counter behind which Il very pretty little
brunette was experimenting the sale of
some particularly bright ribbons. The
youth leaned up alongside of the counter
and whistled a low scraping whistle be-
tween his teeth. Instantly the young lady
turned.
An, Tops, want my order!
yeah" responded Tops" in drawl-
ing voice.
A moment later the dark-haired young
saleslady was whispering something very
mysterious into the ear of Tops" who
wrote down every word, as follows:
Miss Samuels, l cream, lemon. l fig. !"
This was what the lady behind the ribbon
counter intended for her lunch.
trNnrc, otr cd from pnnptar fn pfor
taking orders with all the pOmpous dignity
becoming his position. Finally his list was
complete, and he sauntered out and back to
his employers. the caterer.
An examination OF the list made by
Tops" showed peculiar avoidance of
any effort at epicurean tendencies. A few
worthy of being used as samples of the
| average Salesladv's lunch may be quoted,
all save the names Of those who ordered
| them:
Miss -: lunch; Q cross buns; chop.
The lady who gave this was described as
| growing fat" She was the most hearty
eater in the store.
Miss -: l cream; buns.
| This saleslady was quite the reverse OF
the ''chop lady," and drank cup OF cream
| every day.
A miss in the lace department who
| brought her lunch from home ordered !
| pickle. Another who probably INDUCES in
| a table d'hote dinner in the evening, alb
| breviated the courses by ordering plate OF
soup and an apple.
Miss ---, at the glove counter. was g
| champion at ordering fancy articles OF
food: ice cream. l lemon, 1 cup chocolate
| and piece of apple pie completed hel
| order.
Glasses of milk, cups Of coffee, cream,
lemonade. oranges lemons. pickles, buns.
pies, ginger cakes and biscuits appeared to
| be the favorites, with here and there the
| notice, please send toothpicks," appended.
The usual time allowed for lunch is forty
five minutes. In that time the saleslady
must do her eating and chatting.
The lower portions of the buildings are
| usually used as lunch-rooms and here the
girls gather. laughing, chatting and eating.
| to all appearances as happy as if Delmonico
| were the caterer.
why do so many of the young ladies
order pickle for lunch?" was asked Of a
| tioor-Walker.
WELL" he replied, laughing, 'Tm sure
l don't know unless it is to sharpen I'D their
appetltes for the afternoons work.
Many of the salesladieS bring their lunch
cons from home in little baskets. boxes or
bags, and these, he said. were the chief
consumers of lemons and pickles.
A new order of things is rapidly going
! into effect. In several of the largest dry
goods houses where hundreds of salesladies
are employed, dining-room is provided
for them. where luncheon is served at rates
that would drive lunch counter proprietor
into bankruptcy in no time. Here is an
exact copy of the bill of fare offered by one
of the largest dry goods houses in Brooklyn
to their young lady employees yesterday:
Sano"lches. .....-........... ........ cents
Ooup. ............ ceuLS
COnee. cents
lea. cents
| In the dining-room were two long table:
| covered with a thin oilcloth. On this wa:
| set the dishes. At 1 O'clock over forty
young ladies were seated at the tables eat
ing lunches that cost from 10 to IA cents
Had they gone through the entire bill O
fare it would have cost them the sum o
| "a cents apiece.
Braced up on a lunch of this description
| the average saleSlady stands for nine hour